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One of the biggest challenges in the indoor garden is providing proper light. Although sunlight is a primary need of garden plants, sometimes grow lights provide the better option when growing the plants indoors. Understanding the how light quality differs indoors, and determining the lighting needs of your plants, help you make the best choices to help keep your plants healthy.

Light Quality

Sunlight generally provides a better quality of light for plants. Plants primarily use light from the red and blue spectra, which is readily available from sunlight. Full-spectrum grow lights are specially made to provide this spectrum, but standard fluorescent bulbs often only provide light in the blue spectrum while incandescent lights primarily provide red spectrum light. You can almost equal the quality of sunlight with grow lights if you only use full-spectrum bulbs.

Light Intensity

Grow lights are sometimes a better choice for providing proper light intensity, especially when growing plants that require intense lighting indoors. Although outdoor sunlight is intense, sunlight filtered through a window isn't as intense, and it is often indirect for much of the day. You can place grow lights 6 inches above the tops of the plants to ensure they receive the intense light they need. A reflector placed around the grow light fixture further directs the light and increases intensity. Plants that require a low light intensity, generally those that prefer shade when grown outdoors, can thrive with indirect indoor sunlight and don't need grow lights.

Daily Duration

Plants that require a long duration of daily sunlight generally grow better under grow lights because of the limited light that a window receives each day. Seedlings and sun-loving plants that grow best with six or more hours of daily sun are best served under a full-spectrum bulb. The light intensity of a grow light isn't as intense as the outdoor sunlight these plants prefer, but better than the watered-down sunlight received through a window. Providing 12 to 14 hours under the grow light equals about six hours under direct sun. Plants that require less light, such as those that grow naturally in partial shade or diffused sun, only require six hours under a grow light.

Temperature Concerns

Sunlight coming through a window can cause the temperature to rise, creating a greenhouse effect. In a cool house or with a heat-loving plant, this can prove beneficial. Plants that grow better in cooler conditions can suffer, though. Most plants thrive at temperatures around 70 degrees Fahrenheit, which is sometimes more easily maintained under grow lights. Cold can pose another problem. Winter sunlight may provide bright light to a plant, but leaves touching the cold glass may suffer damage. If your plants have exacting temperature requirements, a grow light provides the better option.

About the Author

Jenny Harrington has been a freelance writer since 2006. Her published articles have appeared in various print and online publications. Previously, she owned her own business, selling handmade items online, wholesale and at crafts fairs. Harrington's specialties include small business information, crafting, decorating and gardening.